A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Yemen

It being the last weekend of the holiday season I am averse to posting, but the rush to judgment on Yemen requires some kind of sane assessment. Fortunately, Marc Lynch has provided us with one, and it's one I can endorse in almost all its points, so I can enjoy the last gasp of the holidays. I have a deadline this week.

1 comment:

Chris said...

I agree with everything that Marc Lynch wrote in his article. The last thing that the Obama Administration wants to do is intensify the situation in Yemen with an overreaction. The one thing that I would add is that while, as Lynch points out, the US has been working extensively with Yemen, the new public and international focus on Yemen might inhibit Obama's efforts there.

After the Christmas Day attempted bombing, Joe Lieberman called Yemen the next war for America, the Shebab in Somalia has stated they will send fighters to Yemen and Gordan Brown has called for an international summit on Yemen. All of this attention on the country will only intensify the calls to do exactly what Lynch says we should not do. Thus, while there were no casualties on Christmas Day, the bomber did succeed in bringing attention to Yemen, which could benefit AQAP.